来なかったあの夏 　The Summer That Did Not Come
by DrakeXIV
Summary: What would have happened if Ichika never entered Kaito's life?  Rather, if she hadn't crashed into it.  Would Kanna still have a chance?
1. Of Bridges and Stars

It'll take a bit for any of the real romance to come into play. I just want to juxtapose my plot with that of the canon, showing the slight differences in events before I go ahead and go with my plot.

As for ownership, I do not own "Ano Natsu de Matteru." All rights go to the respective owner(s).

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><p>The air was cool and refreshing as Kaito found himself on the bridge. The sight was surely something to behold. But even then, despite its expanse and the soft light of the moon reflecting off the lake below, it was still melancholic. Empty.<p>

His eyes went to the sky, taking in the dimly sparkling stars set against the black cloth of night. It was a nice change compared to the cities and their light-polluted streets. Holding up his camera, he imagines the view. Even before he starts recording, he is planning the monologue.

_They say those who die go to heaven._

_I don't think so._

_I think when we die, we go to live on in someone else's heart._

_We live on in their memories._

_Just like how our parents stayed in our hearts._

_But with time, memories fade._

_That's why people wish to leave something behind._

_They don't want to be forgotten._

Satisfied with the range, he presses the record button. No change.

"Is it recording? The viewfinder is black..."

There is a rushing of air as he begins tampering with his camera. Looking up, there was a streak of light that went across the night sky.

Kaito sighed as he looked back down at his camera. As he watched the shooting star streak across the obsidian sky, a wish fell silently from his lips.

_If only I could do something that mattered._

As he contemplated this, he heard a click as he felt his finger gave way.

The camera began recording.


	2. Of School and Plans

"So, Kai, where will you be shooting?"

"Huh?" Kaito looked up in surprise. He had been taken in by his camera that he hadn't noticed that his classmates had entered as well. Perched on the desk in front of him, Kanna angled her head as to look at him, obviously interested in the topic that she brought up.

"Weren't you scouting for a location yesterday? You had your camera with you..."

"Ah, no, I was just testing it."

He wasn't exactly scouting a location. It wasn't like he had a plot to go with either. Just drifting from one location to another, hoping inspiration would strike...

A hand found itself on Kaito's shoulder. He needed not to look up to know who it was. The voice gave it away.

"You're already planning a movie, aren't you, 'Director?'"

Kaito sighed. Why was everyone intent on him shooting a movie? Not that he'd be against it, but...

"No, just recording anything I see. Not much else."

"Really? I was hoping I could help you with it."

The girls watched bemused as the two males went on planning what still needed to come into existence. Mio blushed slightly as she looked at Tetsurou's tall body.

"If Tetsurou were to star in it..."

Her face flushed a deeper red, unable to complete her comment. In spite of her embarrassment, the blue haired youth carried on, unable to resist taunting his admirer.

"Is that so? I don't have that much of a problem with it." He glanced at the red head, who had averted her gaze. "What about you Mio?"

She gasped. He couldn't be implying what she thought he was.

"Kai, how about filming Mio? It's summer, perfect for shooting a gravure promo video or something..."

He leaned in towards Kaito, who showed minimal interest as he continued to tinker with his small camera, his index finger lingering on the zooming mechanism.

"What do you think? No costs, no script..."

He decided to humor this little idea of his.

"Hm, now that I think about it..."

Mio's face could not get any redder. Turning away from this talk of her being a gravure idol, Kanna could do nothing but sigh.

"Men..." The disgust was apparent.

"I was just kidding though. However..."

Kaito once again commanded their attention, his friends looking at him quizzically. Loosening the lens cover, he looked longingly at the lithe body of the camera. His finger lay gingerly on the record button. After last night, the button gave way to any pressure and he could not afford to waste any film.

"I would love to film something."

Standing up, he made his way to the windows, looking out at the athletic field and the clear skies. Kaito held the camera up to his eyes, looking through the lens at the school grounds. It was a perfect day for filming.

"Something. Anything."

Tetsurou couldn't help but smile. In fact, the corners of all their mouths turned up slightly. This idea of a movie sounded like fun. This was their next to last year of high school and summer was literally just around the corner.

Kaito swept through the outdoors, capturing the action of the classes in the fields below as they played football, the excitement as the speckled ball made its way into the goal. Passing over the last of the students that were entering the campus late, a red headed female being walking about, lost.

But his gaze did not linger. Deftly, he turned around, looking at the faces of his comrades as they watched him enthusiastically view the world through his camera, the camera finally landing on Kanna.

Kaito hadn't noticed when he had pressed the record button, but after a second of silence, it was apparent what was happening, the whirring of film evident to those around him. Quickly pressing it again, he ended the recording and turned back to the window, quickly hiding his faint blush.

But not quick enough.

Kanna looked away, blushing slightly. Tetsurou smiled almost smugly as both turned away from each other.

The feelings of youth...


	3. Of Summer and Swimming

_Once you've started something, it's hard to get it to stop._

"So, what kind of movie should it be?"

Tetsurou leaned against the wall of the changing rooms, resting in the shade as the rest of the class lounged around the pool. The clear blue sky only held the bright sun as a few students did a few lengths of the pool. Kaito sat next to him, hunched over as he tried loosening his swimming cap without removing it.

"I don't know..."

"Well, you're the director, Kai. You have to come up with something."

"That's easier said than done. It's not like we have enough people to work on it."

Just as Kaito said that, Kanna pulled herself out onto the diving block in front of them, the chlorinated water trickling down her body back into the pool. Sitting on the platform, she removed her goggles, squinting slightly as to prevent water from going into her eye.

"Are you guys talking about the movie?"

"There is no movie -"

Ignoring Kaito's outburst, Tetsurou answered Kanna's question, his right hand finding its place on Kaito's head, pushing down to prevent him from speaking.

"Yeah, but the issue is we don't have enough actors." Tetsurou waved his free hand loosely as if it were only a minor issue.

_We don't have a story either._

"Well, let me help with it too."

Hm?

"I said I'll help with your movie." Kanna averted her eyes, looking past the gates that lined the swimming pool area out to the open fields adjacent to the school.

Kaito struggled to get out of Tetsurou's grasp. "Well, that's still not enough..."

"I can help, too..."

All the heads turned to find Mio hiding just behind the partition leading to the girls' changing room. Her voice was slightly muffled as she spoke into the sweater she was wearing, blushing slightly as Tetsurou gave her a smile of approval.

"Okay, then it's decided. We'll make a movie!"

"Wait, don't I get a say in this?"

"What, don't you want to film?"

"Well, yes, but we still don't have a possible story..."

"I have that covered." Tetsurou grinned and Kaito was slightly scared. Whenever he smiled like that, he knew there was nothing but trouble to be had... "Oh, and we'll meet up at your house, okay, Kai?"

There was no use in fighting anymore. He was simply going to have his way here.

"Fine..."


	4. Of Scripts and Tea

Kaito opened the door to find his friends waiting outside.

"Why are you guys here so early?" He found himself stifling a yawn as he greeted them. He didn't normally wake up this early during the break. Tetsurou planted his hand on his unkempt hair and ruffled it.

"The early bird gets the worm, Kai. Anyways, we need to plan out story ideas before we even get started with filming." Letting themselves in, they filed into the living room, careful to leave their shoes at the entrance as to not dirty the tatami mats. As the settled down, Kaito made his way to the kitchen, calling out to his friends for any requests.

"You guys want any drinks?"

Kanna's voice came through as he walked down the hall and to the sliding door that led into the kitchen. "Just some tea would be fine."

Okay, green tea. That was all he had anyways. His sister took the last of the exotic ones for her plane trip. Now what went with green tea? Sliding open the partition, he contemplated what snacks he could bring out to compliment the beverage.

"Ah, hello there."

Kaito stopped in his tracks as he entered the kitchen. Standing over the sink was a short girl, her long brown hair almost touching the ground as she attempted to close the window over the sink.

"Uh..."

He was speechless as the intruder, after much struggling, finally succeeding in closing the little window. How had she fit through there anyways? And what was she doing in his house? As if reading his mind, she answered his thoughts.

"I heard you needed a script." Quite concise with her speech too.

"Ah, I see..."

He didn't know how to respond. He simply stood still as he tried to figure out what to do as the awkward silence grew.

"Fufufufufu..." The small girl laughed silently under her breath. Rather creepily, too, as Kaito began to slowly back up towards the living room. He almost crossed the threshold into the room, only to be stopped by Tetsurou.

"Ah, Remon-Sempai, when did you get here?"

"Just a moment ago." She walked up to the tall youth. "I'll wait in the sitting room as well."

She walked on by, leaving Kaito and Tetsurou alone in the kitchen. Kaito was still slightly shocked at Remon's... unusual entrance.

"You know her?"

Tetsurou nodded. "I was talking with some of my friends in the AV Club. Apparently she's gotten some ideas into Hollywood and has worked with Spielberg." Turning around, Tetsurou went to rejoin the group, leaving Kaito to prepare the refreshments by himself.

Hollywood? Spielberg? Surely that couldn't be true.

His train of thought was broken as laughter flooded in from the living room. Opening the fridge, he settled for some bottled iced tea that he had intended to consume later. Grabbing a few glasses from a cupboard, he returned to the living room, to find that everyone already had drinks.

Remon had returned to chuckling quietly as the teens downed glasses of some carbonated drink that she continued to pour. Looking up, she saw Kaito standing with the bottle and several glasses.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that you had gone to get drink."

"It's fine."

Kaito set the glasses down on the table as he sat down next to Kanna.

"Okay then." Standing up, Remon held up a folder that she had pulled from somewhere. "This is the script I propose."

Opening the manila file, she took out four packets, tossing them to the other people seated at the table.

"Now, for the opening..."


End file.
